Mapping a out a blueprint to success in this AFC North showdown.
The Baltimore Ravens will be on the road in Week 11 where they will face the Pittsburgh Steelers for the first of two games between the two archrivals in the next five weeks. Both teams are coming off narrow one-point victories in Week 11 in which their defense made a clutch stop at the end of the game. A win would not only end a three-game losing skid for the Steelers but also mark just their second in the last nine meetings between the two teams. It would improve their record to 8-3, give them the head-to-head tiebreaker over Pittsburgh and bump them back into the top spot in the AFC North standings
Here are five keys integral to the Ravens’ coming out on top in Week 11.
Slow Down T.J. Watt
The six-time Pro Bowler and four-time All Pro is one of the most disruptive defenders in the entire leg who can almost single-handedly turn the tide or even win a game with a clutch play for a stop whether it’s a pressure, sack, tackle for loss, interception or batted pass. Last week, the Commanders did everything they could to help their offensive tackles out on the edge against Watt and Alex Highsmith who was already declared out for this game with an ankle sprain. They constantly double-teamed or at least gave chip help with tight ends and running backs when they were in the game.
Even with Highsmith out, Watt can be a game-wrecker whenever he is on the field and his team needs a play. The Steelers are slated to get second-year pro Nick Herbig back from injury and traded for veteran Preston Smith at the deadline and he recorded one of their three sacks last week in his first game with the team. Since Watt primarily lines up on the right side of opposing offensive lines, the responsibility of blocking him on the vast majority of dropbacks on Sunday will fall to rookie offensive tackle Roger Rosengarten who will be making just his eighth career start against a former Defensive Player of the Year award recipient and current candidate.
Stay Balanced and Dedicated to the Ground Game
The Steelers did a terrific job making one of the most balanced offenses in the league one-dimensional last week by neutralizing one of the most potent rushing attacks. They held the Washington Commanders who average 153.5 yards on the ground per game to just 60 and they didn’t give up a lot through the air either with just 182 net passing yards allowed. As prolific and efficient as the Commanders have been on offense this year, the Ravens are on a whole different level. As long as they remember that and don’t deviate from their winning formula of establishing the run to set up their lethal play-action passing attack, they should be able to move the ball consistently and put up points.
While the Steelers rank in the top 10 in run defense for the season and have held half of their last six opponents to 60 or fewer yards on the ground, they’ve allowed the other three to each eclipse the century mark including a season-high 157 yards to the New York Giants in Week 8. The Ravens lead the league in rushing, averaging 182.6 yards per game and 5.7 yards per carry—both ranked first. Four-time Pro Bowl running back Derrick Henry leads the NFL in rushing yards (1,120), yards per carry (6.1), touchdowns (12) and yards per game (112). He was born and brought to Baltimore for games like this where the Ravens need to assert their will with a punishing rushing attack.
Beware of the “Moon Ball” on Defense
The Steelers’ offense has become a different and more dynamic unit since nine-time Pro Bowl veteran Russell Wilson was inserted under center as the starting quarterback. His presence has unlocked their deep passing game thanks to his patented moon balls known for their impressive high arc and accuracy. Wilson has thrown six touchdowns to just one interception during his three-game stint as the starter and his ability to flip the field with one of his iconic vertical passes has played a significant role in that success.
While the Ravens’ pass defense is ranked dead last, allowing a league-high average of 294.9 yards per game, they’ve mostly been carved up through the air when running zone coverages over the middle whereas they’ve actually performed much better guarding vertical routes in one-on-one coverage on the boundary where Wilson’s long bombs are often thrown. The battles downfield and at the catch-point between the Ravens’ physical press man cornerbacks and the Steelers’ big-bodied jump-ball specialist wide receiver duo of George Pickens and Mike Williams will be must-see matchups to monitor.
Consistently Pressure Wilson
The best way to limit or completely neutralize a deep passing attack that often relies on the quarterback holding onto the ball and extending the play to push the ball down the field is to not give him the chance to do either by applying relentless pressure. Whether they’re able to get the job done with their front four regularly or have to mix in the occasional blitz, the Ravens’ pass rush needs to put Wilson under constant duress in order to prevent this game from turning into a shootout where their struggling secondary could continue to get exposed and picked apart.
In last Thursday night’s win over the Cincinnati Bengals, the Ravens recorded a whopping 40 pressures and could be poised to have a similarly impactful performance against a Steelers blocking unit that has allowed the eighth-most sacks (24) and eighth-highest sack percentage (8.9). The deployment of First Team All Pro safety Kyle Hamilton who personally guaranteed that he’d back in the lineup after leaving last week’s game in the first half with an ankle injury will be key to scheming unblocked and well-time pressures.
Avoid Turnovers, Unforced Errors
The Steelers are notorious for their uncanny ability to drag their opponents into the mud and force them to play an ugly and grittier style of game than they’d like or are often accustomed to playing. Having been on the losing end of many of those low-scoring slugfests, the Ravens are no strangers to their rival’s strategy and need to avoid playing into their hand by taking care of the ball offensively and not shooting themselves in the foot with mental lapses or untimely penalties on either side of the ball. Pittsburgh knows how to win within the margins of most games because of their discipline and poise. If this turns out to be a close game that comes down to the wire, avoiding self-inflicted wounds could ultimately prove to be the difference between coming out on top or falling a full game behind in the division race.